Ladder.



PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.;

w. G. BBRTRAM.

LADDER. I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1904.

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Z mmvron ilz'llz m QBerZram I WITNESSES ATTORNEYS I UNITED STATES Patented m 23, 1905.

WILLIAM G. BERTRAM, OF NEW YQRIL N. Y.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 790,552, dated May 23, 1905.

Application filed November 8, 1904:. Serial No. 231,870.

To all whont it new concern:

a such as apples, pears, peaches, plums, and the like---a further object being to provide an extensible ladder for the purpose specified which is simple in construction and operation and by means of which fruit and other articles of the class specified may be conveniently and 'easily picked from the branches of a tree without danger of breaking said branches or without danger of falling; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists ina devlce of the class speclfied constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved'ladder in the method of using the same; Fig. 2, a section onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4:, a section on the line 4 4: of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 a section on the-line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, reference'being made to Fig. 1, I have shown a fruit-bearing or other tree, and in the practice of my invention I provide a ladder which comprises in the form of construction shown two extensible and adjustable members a and b, which members are composed of the usual side bars (6 and 6 respectively, said side bars being connected by the usual steps or rounds a and t respectively. In the form of construction shown 5 the memberb is the lower member and'the member athe upper member of the ladder, and said members are connected near the upper end of the bottom member 6 by side clamps a, secured to the member I) by screws or other devices 0 and through which the member a is free to slide. The said parts or membersa and 7) of the ladder are also connected at or near the lower end of the part or member a by side clamps 03, secured to the part or member a by screws or similar devices CV, and through which the part or member 6 is free to slide- The side bars 12 of the part or member I) in the form of construction shown are also provided with holes 6*, arranged at regular intervals and through which are passed pins 6 which hold the separate parts or members a and b at any desired point of adjustment.

The upper ends of the side bars a of the part or member a are provided in the form of construction shown with correspondinglycurved arms 6, connected at their ends by a cross-head 0 in the center of which is pivoted a tapered socket member c and in connection with my improved ladder I provide a vertically-adjustable support f, consisting of two rods or bars f and in the form of construction shown the rod or bar f constitutes the upper part and the rod or bar f the lower part of the support f. The separate parts of the support f are connected by bands g and g through which said rods or bars are free to slide, and said bands may be secured to one of said members of the support f, if desired, and one of said bands is provided with a pin g adapted to be passed through holes g, arranged at intervals in the rods or bars f and in this way the parts of the support f may be secured at any desired point of adjustment. The bands g and g are also provided with an eye it, to which is secured a rope or cord if, and in practice these ropes or cords are secured to the tree at different points, so as to hold the supportf in an upright position, and the upper end of the part f of the support f is provided with a pointed end 6, adapted to be passed into the socket member 0 which is supported by thearms e of the ladder..

It will be understood that myimprovement is not necessarily limited to an extensible and adjustable ladder nor to an-extensible and adjustable support f; but I prefer this form of construction in order to adapt my improvement to trees of different heights, and the curved arms 6 of the ladder are not an absolutely essential feature; but I prefer this form of construction for the reason that by means thereof the ladder may be held in an upright position near the outer ends of the branches of a tree, and thus enable an operator to pick fruit from said branches with greater ease and Without danger of breaking the branches. It will also be seen that by means of my improvement the ladder is securely held without danger of falling, and the serious accidents which frequently occur in picking fruit by means of ladders are thus avoided.

The bottom member f of the supportf is provided in practice with a pointed end which may be inserted into the ground at or near the roots of the tree and said support being also connected with the tree at different points above the roots thereof. The ladder is firmly held, and by reason of the method of its convnection with the upper end of said support it socket member, substantially as shown and described.

2. A ladder composed of separate adjustable parts one of which is provided at its end with a cross-head having a socket member scoured centrally thereof, and a support adapted to be secured in a vertical position and composed of separate adjustable parts and the upper end of which is adapted to enter said socket member, substantially as shown and described.

3. A ladder, one end of which is provided with curved arms connected by a cross-head having a socket member secured therein, and a support adapted to be secured in a vertical position and the upper end of which is adapted to enter said socket member, substantially as shown and described.

4. A ladder, one end of which is provided with curved arms connected by a cross-head having a socket member secured therein, and

a support adapted to be secured in a vertical position and the upper end of which is adapted to enter said socket member, said ladder and said support being composed of separate adjustable parts, substantially as shown and described.

5. A ladder, one end of which is provided with curved arms connected by a cross-head having a socket member secured therein, and a support adapted to be secured in a vertical position and the upper end of which is adapted to enter said socket member, said ladder and said support being composed of separate adjustable parts, and said socket member being pivoted in said cross-head, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 5th day of November, 1904.

WILLIAM G. BICRITRAIVI.

Witnesses:

F. A. STEWART, C. E. MULREANY. 

